By Julian Bajkowski Victoria’s network of council run public libraries could soon be set for a centralised overhaul after a key government report recommended the adoption of a single state-wide library card, radio-frequency tracking of books and new platform to allow digital resources like e-books to be borrowed. The biggest review of public libraries ever […]
5 December, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Victoria’s City of Greater Bendigo is digging in for a fight to prevent the state government from shifting responsibility for flood levee bank funding from the Catchment Management Authorities onto local governments. The council has announced is investigating the formation of a lobbying alliance with other municipalities to oppose any potential state […]
15 November, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski The Municipal Association of Victoria has called on the Abbott government to ring fence and guarantee federal funding already allocated for energy efficient upgrades to street lighting which the peak group says will save its ratepayers $340 million over the long term. As the new federal government and Environment Minister Greg Hunt […]
25 September, 2013
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has blamed unpopular rate hikes averaging 4.8 per cent or $76 on growing ‘critical’ cost pressures arising from the need to top-up $396.9 million worth of unpaid liabilities for the Defined Benefit Superannuation Shortfall, a yawning infrastructure backlog and pervasive cost shifting to […]
8 July, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Going to the bank for a loan doesn’t ordinarily require the extra screening of a tender process, but the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is doing just that to get financial help to fund a Defined Benefit Plan that is troubling councils which urgently need to top-up their employees’ superannuation shortfall. MAV […]
18 June, 2013
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Victorian councils have slammed the state’s local government minister, Jeanette Powell, over claims that a referendum on financial recognition of local government in the Constitution could result in an erosion of state government power as deliberate scaremongering. In a broadside aimed squarely at his state government, Municipal Association of […]
16 May, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley Australia’s local government sector has been left facing tough choices over how to deal with the release of Coalition’s policy on the National Broadband Network that would forgo fibre-to-the-premises in favour of recycling Telstra’s ageing copper lines in many regional areas. After decades of campaigning to get better internet […]
12 April, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has taken the state government to task over what it claims are “serious shortcomings” revealed in draft differential rating guidelines. A new submission by the MAV urges the Napthine government to adopt “greater support to develop rating strategies” as the state’s local government sector […]
19 March, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Victoria’s Auditor General has criticised the state’s 79 councils over a glaring lack of clarity and detail in the way they determine and reveal how more than $4 billion in rates and charges a year are levied on constituents, despite the local governments having a “common rating framework.” In a report issued […]
21 February, 2013
By Paul Hemsley The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales (LGSA) has become the latest local government peak body to launch a Twitter account as part of its website redesign and relaunch. The LGSA has joined the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the Victorian Local Governance Association […]
17 January, 2013
Rural landfill operators will be able to work at higher standards through state government funding to improve infrastructure. The Victorian Government has released a $3.5 million package consisting of a funding program Transition Support to Improve Rural Landfill for $3 million. Remaining funds of $500000 are for the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) to conduct […]
13 March, 2012
By Paul Hemsley The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) said the State Government had initially not revealed the funding cuts until after council budgets were set. MAV President Bill McArthur said the MAV has urged councils not to sign the State’s funding agreement, as acceptance of the cut could mean a loss of at least $5.7 […]
5 August, 2011
Victorian councils are increasing usage of recycled material in road, footpath and shared pathways construction. Specifications can be used for either new projects or maintenance of existing infrastructure. Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) President, Bill McArthur said the Local Government Roads to Zero Waste Challenge has set a more sustainable benchmark for national civil construction. […]
21 June, 2011
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has launched a new program to help councils improve the efficiency of planning systems . MAV President Bill McArthur said the STEP planning process improvement program will target scarce resources and deliver better outcomes for users of Victoria’s planning system, the “The new STEP program uses an intensive audit and […]
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